diff --git a/components/esm/esmreader.cpp b/components/esm/esmreader.cpp
index 6facee381c..7cf0de1a99 100644
--- a/components/esm/esmreader.cpp
+++ b/components/esm/esmreader.cpp
@@ -299,8 +299,7 @@ std::string ESMReader::getString(int size)
     char *ptr = &mBuffer[0];
     getExact(ptr, size);
 
-    if (size>0 && ptr[size-1]==0)
-        --size;
+    size = strnlen(ptr, size);
 
     // Convert to UTF8 and return
     if (mEncoder)